


I'm here to find the man who buried me.

by Cospcoogweell



Series: Grace in the Wastes [1]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:28:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3465974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cospcoogweell/pseuds/Cospcoogweell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grace E. Lee is my Courier from Fallout New Vegas. On the way to find the man who tried to kill her she can't help but stop and offer aid to those who needed it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The friendly stranger.

"Shit! Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Grace raised her hands to show that she meant no harm.

"Why are you here?" He was what she had expected when she had been told of a Sniper in the mouth of the Dinosaur. Stern, gruff, and he looked like he would take someone out without blinking.

"Well, I am here looking for the man who buried me. There is a story there, but that is for a later time. I heard there was a sniper's nest up here and figured that if anyone had seen him it would be the person with the best view." Grace smiled brightly at the man crossing her arms over her chest. She made a mental note that she should knock before walking in on a Sniper. She felt rather lucky that she did not end up with that machete that he carried in her chest with how he reacted. 

"Didn't come through on my shift. You should go." He turned away making it clear that he was done talking.

"Okay, so that means that there is another sniper? One who has a shift that maybe saw something?" He stiffened when she said that. It seemed that he was not on good terms with whom ever this second sniper was. Hell he looked like he was going to throw her out the nest just for mentioning him.

Grace was a friendly woman, she charmed her way through most situations and it seemed like this man was not going to care much for talking. She remembered the good Doctor who fixed her up commenting on her charisma. Murmuring a comment about just being friendly she turned to leave the man to his duties, he must have had some Raiders or Legion to shoot.

She would come back in the morning, it made sense that there would be a shift at night and one during the day. Maybe the other Sniper had seen something, she would also as around Novac. Victor had pointed her to the Sniper nest ans it had been her first stop. Someone had to have seen something, a bunch of Great Khans and a slick man from New Vegas could not have been common in the area.

"Wait, maybe you can help me with something."

The man, Boone she now knew stopped her and explained that he needed the help for someone outside of Novac. It turned out that his wife was taken by the Legion, slavers had come for her one night, they knew how to avoid him and took only her. He believed that someone had helped them and wanted revenge. That was something Grace understood, she was after all walking across the Mojave trying to find the man in the checkered suit. The game may have been rigged but they say that cheaters never prosper. It was sad to think about the fate of the poor woman. Grace had seen what the Legion had done to Nipton, those men were monsters. She remembered that man with the fox head helmet. Ice flowed through that man's veins. She was sure that all of the men in the Legion were the same way, no regard for human life, plain evil through and through. Back west a trooper or two may mention the Legion if he had served in the Mojave, but in Shady Sands they were just a story, a boogie man that most people of the NCR would never see.

"Don't worry. I will find out what happened to her." Grace's hand fell to the gun on her hip with out even thinking about it. Investigating someone involved with the Legion could get messy.

Boone looked over the woman in front of him who had agreed to help him with no hesitation. She was petite, there was no way that she could take a whole lot of punishment without breaking something. She was pale too, and the darkness of her hair only made her seem even more so. The style reminded him of the Strip... and of Carla. She had wanted to do her hair like that, the Domestic Goddess. That was what she had called it, he was sure of it. 

_She is not cut out for the Mojave._ Boone could not help but think.

She turned with her beret in hand and bounced off, all his hopes of getting an answer rested on this woman. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head slightly. All he could do was hope she had better luck than he had when looking into the matter. 


	2. Law and Order: Novac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace looks into what happened to Carla. What she discovers is not pretty.

Grace had to wait for morning to speak to the Novac citizens. It had been late when she arrived, just about everyone had been asleep. Waiting to talk to people was something that she was use to. Back in Goodsprings she had waited most of the night so she could convince Chet to give up some supplies for the upcoming fight. Ringo along with everyone else had made it out with minor injuries. Grace liked to think it was because she had managed to get everyone to contribute to the effort. Nothing brought people together like the threat of your home being wiped out.

The first person she spoke with was Manny, the other sniper. She had a rather nice chat with the man, he gave her some information on Boone. She was not surprised that the men had been with the 1st Recon. She had heard some good things about the men and women of that unit from her Father who had served with the NCR. He had been a part of the push West and had seen the First Battle of Hoover Dam. He owed his life to the 1st Recon and the NCR Ranger sharp shooters.

The chat ended on a sour note though when she found out Manny did indeed have some information about the man in the checkered suit. He was going to hold onto it, but until she took care of the ghoul problem that Novac was having.

"Dick. I would have helped either way. No need to be an ass and hold information over my head." She kicked a can as she exited the store.

Grace did have to be fair though, Manny didn't know her from Jill the psycho killer. The logical side of her understood that he was protecting his town. Still it was a little insulting that he did not take her word to be good enough. If she said she was going to do something then she did it. The fact that she was sticking around to solve Boone's problem was a good example of her commitment. Her own answer was withing reach, but she had made a promise and would see it through.

Knowing now that she would be in the area for a while longer she stopped by to see Jeannie May Crawford, the owner of the motel. The woman was kindly, and charged a fair rate for her rooms. It seemed the really loved Novac and cared for the people in the town. There was still something off about her though, the hairs on the back of Grace's neck were still standing on end when she left the Motel. Telling herself that it was just the off putting way that Jeannie May had spoken about Carla Boone Grace took her glasses off and rubbed her face. 

She had to find something that would give Boone some sort of closure. If it turned out that he was wrong and Carla had simply left him so be it, but he deserved to know no matter what happened. It was hard to not know what happened to someone. As a Courier Grace had lost coworkers, friends who were sent out on a run and simply never came back. Grace had almost been one of them, just another person swallowed up by the Mojave. It was scary to think that her family had been so close to never knowing what had happened to her. The first thing she had done was write to her parents back in Shady Sands and tell them that she was fine, that there had been an incident so she was not going to be visiting anytime soon. 

Seeing a man walking down the street Grace slid her glasses back on and jogged over to the older man.

"Sir? May I ask you a question about Carla Boone?"

Regret was instant, the man No-Bark was a little off to put it kindly. After making sure that the man was not going to stab her with his "stickin' knife" she took a shot in the dark to see if the man knew anything about Carla. There were nuggets of truth in what men like No-bark said she had found. While it may not have been "mole-men" he seemed fairly sure that something had happened at the Motel. Her jut had been right it seemed, something was indeed off about Jeannie May. All she needed was proof.

That proof lay in a bill of sale that twisted Grace's stomach into knots. She slammed the safe door shut and sunk against the wall. Jeannie May was safe in her bed sleeping and Carla Boone had been sold to the Legion. It occurred to her that Boone had said his wife was dead. According to the bill of sale Carla had been alive when sent to the slavers though. She did not know how she was going to tell Boone he was right. Suspicion was one thing, having the protection he had offered the town thrown back in his face with the sale of his wife was a whole different animal.

Grace walked through Novac quickly, her lips pursed together in a thin line. Anger gripped her heart, what right did Jeannie May have to sell another person. How the hell was the Legion operating so close to the ranger base that she had passed on her way into town? So many questions raced through her mind as Grace knocked on the door of Jeannie May's house. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, the temptation to put one in the woman's skull herself was almost too much.

Grace had been raised with several Old World values. Being a citizen of the NCR had shaped her a great deal. Her Father had put his life on the line for equality, freedom, and peace. She had thought about enlisting herself. A good soldier was expected to take bad orders though and when a close friend told her about having to put crucified soldiers out of their misery. That was something that Grace would never do, could never do. The NCR should not leave anyone behind, her Father ha told her that. So she had become a Courier, she still got to travel so that was a plus.

Grace let her mind wander the on those thoughts the whole time she walked with Jeannie May. She had made some excuse about an issue that needed to be taken care of urgently outside of Dinky. She smiled spoke with the woman even as her blood boiled. It took every bit of self control that Grace had not to throw the woman to the dirt and choke the life out of her. She found herself thanking Jeannie May for the room again, it was easier to keep control if she talked as they walked even though the kindness was being pulled out of her ass.

They finally stopped outside of Dinky on the rocks.

"Now what I need you to do is look right there." Grace pointed as she slid the beret on. "Now say good bye you slaver bitch."

The shot rang out in the darkness and blood splattered across Grace. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her glasses and face. She waved to Boone before making her way back through the gate and up into the dinosaur. 

This time she stopped and knocked. Boone threw open the door and waved her in. She held out his beret to him her expression sympathetic. She looked out of Dinky's mouth to Jeannie May's body. The woman had deserved worse, a simple shot to the head had been far to kind in Grace's mind.

"How did you know?"

Boone's voice floated from behind her.

"A bill of sale that Jeannie May had. You should not read it. Trust me, it says she sold Carla. You don't want to see your family broken down into numbers and the value put on their lives." Grace pressed the folded paper into the man's hands.

"So what will you do now?" The glow from the lantern reflected off Boone's sunglasses as Grace looked up to him leaning back against the wall.

"I don't know. I won't be staying. I know that. Don't see much point in anything right now, except hunting legionaries."

Boone tilted his head to the side a bit as the woman before him suddenly smiled. She took a step closer, her blue eyes shining with determination.

"Come with me Boone."


	3. The begining of something beautiful.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace talks Boone into going with her, first thing they do is clear out some ghouls. Boone learns why Grace was buried, and that the Courier is not the best shot.

"Come on Boone, I am going to be all over the Mojave we will take out more Legionaries if we travel together. I also happen to know for a fact that Snipers work far better in pairs." Grace adjusted her glasses, gently pushing the rim closest to the arm with her middle and pointer finger as she spoke giving Boone a charming smile.

Boone crossed his arms as he looked Grace over, looking to her gear now more than her face. Her leather armor had been modified, some plates had been removed to lower the weight. It was well worn, but well maintained. The same went for the 10mm that hung off her hip. All the repairs in the world could not keep a gun looking like new forever, the gun had clearly seen plenty of use. Perhaps she did know how to take better care of herself than Boone had original though. She was very well supplied at least, her pack jingled with caps and ammo. 

Grace stepped closer offering her hand to shake, "Boone, you said yourself that you will not stay here, I could really use the help."

_She smells like campfires and Broc flower._ Boone noted as he reached out and took her hand into his giving it a firm shake. 

"Fabulous. Let's go!"

Grace turned on her heel and exited the nest walking away from Novac. Boone was quick to guess that they were heading to REPCONN, he had picked off ghouls leaving the area for days now. He supposed it was fitting, his final farewell to Novac taking care of this trouble that had plagued the town.

"Blue moon..." Grace started to sing quietly with the radio on her PipBoy as she walked, her fingers tapping to the tune against her leg.

\----

"Wow. Would you look at that. I hope they find what they are looking for." Grace leaned against the rail watching the rockets zoom off.

Boone shook his head slightly and he watched Grace tap her fingers to the tune that flowed over the radio. The woman was insane, he had decided. She had nearly been killed by the first ghoul they had encounter. Then she has him wait with the glowing nut case to deal with Nightkin. He honestly did not think that she was going to be coming back. There she was though walking back into the room with a ghoul that she must have found in the basement like she had gone for a walk down the Strip to catch up with a friend.

Who the hell would have thought to use souvenir rockets to make a real one go? Apparently Grace did. Then she charmed Old Lady Gibson into a discount on the parts that they needed. That old cheapskate never gave discounts to anyone. Grace may not have been a expert marksman, she could talk the talk though. Maybe she had talked the Nightkin to death. The truth was almost funnier, she had simply told them here were no Stealthboys and showed them the invoice and they left. 

Grace stretched her arms over her head and turned heading out of the building. She paused though at the small camp that had been set up on the road out side of REPCONN building and pulled from her pack some food and waster. With the area cleared they may as well rest and eat, she had taken a few nasty hits. Not bad enough to use a stimpack but enough that some food and a moment of peace would be welcomed. 

"Someone buried you?" Boone took a drink of water looking at Grace over his sunglasses.

"Yeah. I was a Courier for the Mojave Express. I was supposed to deliver this chip, some Khans and a man in a checkered suite intercepted me. They took the chip tied me up and shot me in the head. Twice! Then they buried me and a robot dug me up. Than god there was a good Doctor in the area he save my life."

Boone was not sure what to say. What did you say when someone had survived what was supposed to be their execution? He saw the glint in her eyes, it was the same look he got when he spoke about the Legion.

"I guess I am just lucky that it wasn't someone as skilled as you that shot me right? I'm still finding bits of Jeannie May in my hair." 

Grace could not let the hate for the man consume her. She knew that, she just wanted to know why he had done it then kill him. Easy as pie.

"You know about Snipers?"

"Yeah. My dad was a trooper for years. He is retired now out in Shady Sands. We have watched so many old military vids, and I spent a lot of time around soldiers basically all my life. My dad will rest a whole lot easier knowing I am traveling with a 1st Recon guy."

Grace had started to pack up. She was saving the empty water bottles, they could be refilled. The cardboard boxes could be used later to burn. She knew how to get from point A to point B, traveling in the Mojave was not a whole lot different than traveling anywhere else. Raiders and slavers were common to run into when you ran all over making deliveries.

"So I was thinking since you are going to be spotting for me I should work harder on my gun skills. I mean I am okay, good enough to defend myself but I will start doing more target practice. I use to go to the range with my dad when I was young. Since I became a Courier though I just try to avoid trouble. Why waste the ammo when you can talk things out? That was my philosophy, that is out the window with the Legion though. "

It was dark when they finally were on the road back to Novac. Grace was listening to the radio again, Boone had a feeling that there was not going to be a whole lot of silence traveling with her.

A shot rang out, Grace had drawn her weapon and fired. Boone was just starting to raise his rifle when the NCR Ranger raised his hands. 

Grace looked like she was going to cry as she apologized over and over to the man who was giving her a radio. The Ranger laughed it off, claiming that he should have not have strolled up in an area that had feral ghouls running around without saying anything.

Boone watched the Ranger run off an looked over at Grace who had turned a shade of red that put Legion crimson to shame.

"Yeah. Target practice starts tomorrow." Boone could not help the grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. How in the hell had she managed to make it this far he would never know.

Grace walked in silence back to Novac, her pride wounded. She supposed that she should count herself lucky that she had not actually shot the Ranger. 

"Let's just get the information I need and go."

Boone waited by the main office as Grace ran to Manny's door and knocked. She vanished into the room, not too much longer she walked out tapping at her PipBoy. 

"We are going to Boulder City."

With that they were off, Boon lagging behind slightly keeping his eyes on the horizon. As Big Iron started to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was just heading back to Novac when the NCR Ranger ran up to give me the radio and almost shot him while playing New Vegas. 
> 
> Grace has the small frame and four eyes perks to start with. Her original SPECIAL with no perks is as follows.  
> S 3 P 6 E 4 C 10 I 9 A 4 L 4
> 
> Tagged skills are Medicine, Lockpick, and Speech.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Fallout New Vegas or any of its characters or settings.


End file.
